Gore offers his first valedictory address: This one to his legal team

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore gave a message of thanks and farewell to his legal team shortly after noon Wednesday. About 30 members of his team gathered around a speaker phone in Tallahassee to listen to the vice president's words.

"That was some election night," Gore said at the start of the call, prompting laughter.

"He said he would have more to say to the nation tonight," said a legal aide who listened to the call. "But said he was calling to say how grateful he was to everybody who had worked so hard and put their lives on hold. He said we built 'the greatest virtual law firm in history' and said from the bottom of his heart he couldn't thank us enough for our incredible efforts."

Gore was described as "upbeat" and "lighthearted" even as he bid farewell. He cut the tension with humor.

"Despite everything, he sounded upbeat and optimistic," said a legal aide on the call. "He said he would be inviting all of us to holiday parties at his house and then jokingly gave directions, 'you go up Massachusetts Avenue, my house is the one with the people outside yelling, 'get out of Dick Cheney's house.'"

At the end of the call, the approximately 30 people listening applauded him through the speaker phone.